Method and apparatus for providing improved detection of overlapping networks
View Patent ↗A method, apparatus and computer program product provide improved detection of overlapping wireless networks. In this regard, the method, apparatus and computer program product may utilize a processor, such as a processor on a wireless access point, to determine one or more parameters for a scan of a wireless network to identify overlapping networks. Wireless stations may utilize the parameters to determine the content of a scan report generated from a scan of the wireless network. The wireless stations may further utilize the parameters to determine which values should be monitored and/or recorded during the scan of the network. The wireless stations may respond to the access point with results corresponding to the parameters requested by the access point, and the access point may use the results to determine channel access parameters for other devices on the network, such as the wireless stations.
1. A method for operating a wireless network, the method comprising:
determining one or more scan parameters for identifying a presence of at least one overlapping wireless network, the one or more scan parameters chosen from a subset of a plurality of scan parameters, wherein a number of the one or more scan parameters chosen is based at least on a power supply of a plurality of wireless stations;
causing the one or more scan parameters to be transmitted to the plurality of wireless stations;
receiving scan reports from at least some of the plurality of wireless stations, wherein content of the received scan reports comprises results corresponding to the one or more scan parameters;
based at least in part on the content of the received scan reports, identifying at least two of the plurality of wireless stations as having one or more common characteristics;
associating the identified at least two wireless stations with a group;
determining a set of common channel access parameters for the group; and
causing at least a portion of the set of common channel access parameters to be transmitted to the at least two wireless stations to mitigate interference with the at least one overlapping wireless network.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying the at least one overlapping wireless network from the scan reports; and
defining the set of common channel access parameters such that the set of common channel access parameters instruct the at least two wireless stations to avoid interference with the at least one overlapping wireless network.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more scan parameters comprise at least one access parameter selected from a group consisting of:
a location of at least one of the plurality wireless stations,
a number of service set identifiers visible to the at least one of the plurality of wireless stations, and
an interference level.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of common channel access parameters define a frame subtype for indicating the presence of an overlapping network by using a particular frame type without transmission of additional data identifying the overlapping network.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more common characteristics are at least one of a common location or a common interference level with a particular overlapping wireless network.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more common characteristics are a weighted average of all interferences observed by a particular wireless station from the plurality of wireless stations.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying, from the scan reports, one or more non-preferred access slots that are likely to cause interference with the at least one overlapping network, wherein the common channel access parameters notify the identified at least two wireless stations of the one or more non-preferred access slots.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wireless stations communicate via an 802.11ah protocol.
9. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program instructions, the at least one memory and the computer program instructions configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:
determine one or more scan parameters for identifying a presence of an overlapping wireless network, the one or more scan parameters chosen from a subset of a plurality of scan parameters, wherein a number of the one or more scan parameters chosen is based at least on a power supply of a plurality of wireless stations;
cause the one or more scan parameters to be transmitted to the plurality of wireless stations;
receive scan reports from at least some of the plurality of wireless stations, wherein content of the received scan reports comprises results corresponding to the one or more scan parameters;
based at least in part on the content of the received scan reports, identify at least two of the plurality of wireless stations as having one or more common characteristics;
associate the identified at least two wireless stations with a group;
determine a set of common channel access parameters for the group; and
cause at least a portion of the set of common channel access parameters to be transmitted to the at least two wireless stations to mitigate interference with the at least one overlapping wireless network.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising program instructions configured to cause the apparatus to:
identify the at least one overlapping wireless network from the scan reports; and
define the set of common channel access parameters such that the set of common channel access parameters instruct at least the at least two wireless stations to avoid interference with the at least one overlapping wireless network.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the one or more scan parameters comprise at least one channel access parameter selected from a group consisting of:
a location of at least one of the one or more wireless stations,
a number of service set identifiers visible to the at least one of the one or more wireless stations, and
an interference level.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the set of common channel access parameters define a frame subtype for indicating the presence of an overlapping network by using a particular frame type without transmission of additional data identifying the overlapping network.
13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the one or more common characteristics are at least one of a common location or a common interference level with a particular overlapping wireless network.
14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the one or more common characteristics are a weighted average of all interferences observed by a particular wireless station from the plurality of wireless stations.
15. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising program instructions configured to cause the apparatus to identify, from the scan reports, one or more non-preferred access slots that are likely to cause interference with the at least one overlapping network, wherein the common channel access parameters notify the identified at least two wireless stations of the one or more non-preferred access slots.